Emerald Woods
by Mochi-Tan
Summary: This story reflects America's childhood and a particular fairytale England told him. The character in the myth is based off of one in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. First fanfic, but does that matter whatsoever...? Also, the HUMAN names of US and UK are used. Enjoy. (Now rated K for lexicon. No swearing, just creative words.)
1. Prologue and Chapter 1

**Emerald Woods**

_Prologue: The Emerald Wood, the Emerald Dream_

"Deep in a grove of earthy maple trees and rolling hills of mossy grass lays a secluded forest. Through the dragging years of planet Earth, its hardships, and its changing seasons, it has stayed a lush, green paradise.

"The forest was a hidden metropolis of woodland creatures, from scarlet-chest robins to golden-tailed dragonflies with crystal-clear wings that skidded perfectly across the pristine, azure water. Overhead, the protective and gargantuan trees shielded the forest from the outside, containing the perfect world from the impurities of mankind.

"And there lived the nature child, the real guardian of the forest.

"The child was a peculiar person. They wore a tunic of pressed maple and oak leaves, sewn together with thread from silkworms' string. With worn boots, breaking from walking, he would carry an oily kerosene lamp in his left hand, and would bound around the forest at night, patrolling. Each time his foot landed in the soft, silky grass, a sound of music-box chimes would echo through the trees. He would skip about each evening, leaving a trail of jumping light behind.

"Many an explorer, from curious child to greedy adult, would travel through masses of forest to find the fabled wood, only to end with a search in vain."

Arthur smiled proudly to Alfred. And Alfred, in reply, looked up at him with his turquoise eyes, filled with questions. "But Arthur," he said, cocking his head to the left, "If no one found the forest, how would _you_ know?"

Arthur ogled at little Alfred for a minute, obviously thinking of an answer. For once, a child outsmarted an adult! Arthur answered by suddenly laughing heartily. "M' boy, I'm an Englishman!" He ruffled Alfred's hair. Alfred laughed from the friendly gesture. "When you get to the age of rickety old me, you'd be able to know A LOT more."

Alfred's eyes sparkled, questions transforming into imagination. "Really, Arthur?" He asked hopefully.

Arthur looked down at Alfred. He beamed a huge smile, and replied, with all his heart, "Of course, Alfred! I promise! But for now…" He looked up at the grandfather clock, nearby the corner of the candlelit room. "It's getting a bit late, Alfred. I would think it's about time you get to bed."

Alfred threw a little fit, causing Arthur to laugh quietly. "But I wanna know more about the forest!" He cried with a slight lisp in his voice, pounding his little chubby fists against Arthur, trying to get him to stay. "C'mon, Arthur! Tell me more!"

Arthur shook his head, closing his eyes. "I'll tell you something. I'll tell you more about the forest tomorrow, it's a deal!" He put his hands on Alfred's shoulders, crouching to the child's height. "But you have to go to bed, okay? It's good for you!"

Alfred turned a bit drowsy, but still had a bit more energy to fight."Come on, Arthur… I wanna know more… mmm…" he rubbed his eyes. "*Yawn*… come on… just a bit more…" Arthur smiled warmly. "Oh, alright, Alfred, I'll tell you. Just get into bed, and I'll say a bit more." Alfred smiled broadly, adding one more point to his score. He jumped into the bed, shoving the sheets over his pink-tinted nightgown. "Now tell me more!" he said.

Arthur looked at Alfred, conjuring up another story. "During the night, there's been a rumor going around… that the Guardian of the Emerald Woods would come out in the evening, just when he thinks the forest was safe enough, to bring one well-behaved child to the woods. The opening to the forest would be small enough for the boy and a child he would bring as a friend. Then, that child would be able to enjoy the blessings that the forest gave to the Guardian, on that one magical night of the child's life."

Alfred listened as best as he could, blinking away sleepiness. "Really…?" He asked, his voice filled with drowsiness. Arthur smiled again. He stroked Alfred's bangs, replying, "Yes! Why, I would think he would bring a boy like you. You're such a kind, loving child. I wouldn't be surprised to find you here tomorrow, with a twig or two in your hair! How cute that would be." He looked at Alfred, who was already drifting off to sleep. He smiled softly. "Good night, my little Alfred," he whispered, kissing Alfred's forehead. "Have fun at the Emerald Forest…" He took the candlestick he had with him, got up, and went out the door. Before he left, he went back to look at Alfred, who was snoozing ever so quietly. "And may you have more nights at the Emerald Wood to come…"

_Chapter 1: A Child's Wish_

Alfred slowly lulled into a deep sleep, replaying the story that Arthur told him. _Could it really be true?_ He would think. _It would be so cool to go to the Emerald Woods! I'm sure they had decent food there, unlike here, sometimes. I don't blame Mr. Arthur, though. It's just that he stinks at cooking. _He nuzzled his chin against the sheets, and smiled a bit. _Then I'll just have to wait here for the Forest Guardian_, he decided. And with that, he went for his forty winks.

**. . .**

It was deep in the night. The colossal crescent moon hung over the sparkling sky, lighting the dark below. Alfred was snoozing away, and Arthur had gone to retire some time ago. The manor had went from windows seeping golden yellow light, like a beast crying bronze tears that wouldn't fall, to a silent, resilient house. The moss on the sides of the burgundy brick wall grew black. This was the Guardian's chance.

**. . .**

Alfred lazily opened his eyes. "Mmmmf… ugh… so sleepy…" he subconsciously rubbed his heavy eyes. "Arthur, did you wake me up…? Because I wanna go back to sleep…" he slowly turned his head to look around. "Arthur? Where are you?" He shook away he sleepiness, replacing it with confusion. "Hey, Arthur! Come on out! Arthur!" He slid out of bed. "Mr. Arthur, this isn't funny!"

"… Hello?"

** . . .**

_Caterpillar's Cashews, this house is dirtier than the bottom of my shoe! I wonder how a young fellow could live in a place like this. Why, bless my soul, this habitat is a hazard. So heavy with some sort of sweet-smelling scent… not like a flower I know of. It smells like a human's beer, I'd guess. And this grass always feels so strange under my feet… humans weave it together and color them! How peculiar is that?_


	2. Chapter 2: Forest Hopper

Sorry for taking so long with the chapter, guys. And since I forgot to mention, the characters' origins did not come from me. Of course, Mr. Arthu and Alfred are from Hetalia. The Forest Guardian is loosely based off of the Skull Kid. Enjoy the second chapter.

* * *

_Chapter 2: Forest Hopper_

Alfred picked up the running tempo in his feet again, spinning around the corner and through the corridor.

The light was still there, bouncing like a rabbit.

Alfred flew down the hall, speeding down to the light, slamming his hands, catching it. "Got you!" he bellowed, the sound of his hands slapping together reverberating through the room. Alfred slowly opened up his hands. "What the…?"

The light floated out of his hands, then suddenly whisked itself and whipped into a flame. A burnt paper fell from it, and the fire slowly shrank away.

The parchment fluttered into Alfred's hands. Alfred looked at it with a puzzled look. "Um… it says… 'Yow-oo are close… turn aroo-oond…" he stared at the paper. "Is that really all it says…?" He shook the paper a bit. "Maybe if I spit on it…"

"Not so fast, boy!" a strident voice declared. "I'd better read that paper to you!" a shadowy figure leaped from a swirling twister of leaves from above, landing on their feet. "Hi!" he said, holding out his hand to Alfred. "I was watching you, you know. I couldn't believe that despite your high etiquette, you lack the skill for basic reading! Ah, well, it can't be helped. Just like a worm stuck in a shoe. Near impossible to help." He hopped towards Alfred, politely slipping the message into his hands. "Haah… and this message was supposed to lead towards me…

the figure sighed. "Here's what it says… 'You are close. Turn around." He executed a sharp about-face rotation. "And if you were to turn around, I would have shown up. Sorry if this is a mouthful to you; I just wanted you to keep your saliva and your personal hygiene where they're supposed to stay."

"In my mouth?" Alfred asked.

"Yes… in a way, I would suppose." The figure replied. "Oh, yes… I would think you should know who I am..."

**. . .**

"Woooooow, so you're the Forest Guardian?" Alfred asked. He yanked at the Guardian's pointy ears. The Guardian winced quietly. "Er, ow! That hurts a bit, you know! Owie ow ow!" Alfred laughed heartily. "I really like your ears, mister!" He beamed a huge smile.

Alfred had already gotten used to the Guardian, as he was quite flexible in those means. And yet, anyone, including him, could tell the Guardian was a really awkward figure. (At least Arthur got something right about the Guardian…) The little guy had a massive pointed hat made of woven grass atop his head, with six different feathers popping from the sides; the size was big enough that it covered his back. He had (as you could tell) really pointy ears, adorned with pierced rings and threads. His eyes were the size of lilac blossoms, emitting a peaceful blue in the dark. A wide yet slim smile pervaded the lower of his face.

His clothes seemed to be made of silky material but looked like cloth from a sack. It was tied loosely by a vine-like cord, with several forest material fashioned into badges and necklaces pinned on the top. Lacey material surrounded the neck area, with a few strands hanging loose. He wore gauntlets that had chunks of hay underneath, and had soft, brown gloves. He had leather boots, covered in algae and other things like smashed leaves and mud. He wore cheap looking, baggy trousers that had a few stitches. A sort of orb lay neglected near Alfred, as he was clinging to the Guardian's ears for dear life.

"Excuse me, Alfred, but these ears are a symbol of maturity in my culture! Please refrain from stretching them!" the Guardian blurted out, interrupting Alfred.

Alfred was still smiling broadly. "Then what's this thingy?" He asked, suddenly changing the subject. "It's sorta like some glowy thing."

The Guardian gasped in horror, as if the remark Alfred made was going to raise the dead. "My word! You call my greatest achievement a 'glowy thing'?" He shook his head. "Mockingbird's molasses, kids during these hard times… somewhat polite as they used to be, but as curious as a set of cucumbers!"

The orb glowed magnificently, with small breezes of pastel colors rounding it. Despite being a floating flame, the bottom was caressed by softly colored leaves. Sparks similar to fireflies surrounded the wonderful sphere, dancing around until they whisked away into the air.

The Guardian picked up the mysterious contraption. "Well, m' boy, this is the most important tool I've got! Of course, I will elaborate this wonderful device.

"This piece of perfection is my prized possession—the Firefly's Flame!" He made the Flame look showy as he did some jazz hands. "This, m'boy, is my 'lantern', as some loopy folk call it. How unoriginal! Anyhoo, it's of a different form to children. Obviously, it doesn't look like a lantern to you, my dear boy. To adults, it sure looks like one, since their imagination fades away. But to you, it's an orb of light. Very nice to ogle at, as I see you are staring.

"The ingredients to make this are pretty straightforward—one ray of sun from the sun, the light that the trees weep, which, by the by, can change the brightness of the orb by each bottle. Then there's Bworkle Mushroom's powder, the shoes of a stag beetle, and the transparency of a dragonfly's wing.

"… My boy, you look as uninterested as a snail is to a bagworm. Hmm, I would suppose mechanics do not appeal to you. Then I should cut to the chase. This is the bounding you followed about in the halls. It can also take you to the Emerald Woods. I must say, though, I was having quite a bit of fun saying the materials and their purposes…"

Then, out of the darkness, thumping noises went down the hallway.

The Guardian's eyes widened. "Alfred!" He whispered with a hint of shock in his words. "That could be that Arthur, you older brother. If he were to see me, it'd be REAL bad. I mean, extremely troublesome. Excuse me for the use of such gargantuan words, but we need to go! I'll promise to take you as soon as next evening! It's a date!" And without one more word or a reply from Alfred, the Guardian disappeared in a twister of leaves and wind.

The Guardian had left Alfred with a longing to see him again, with so many questions swirling about his head. They were so numerous in number; the vastness of Alfred's mind caused him to fall deep into a void of curiosity, confusion, and wondering.


	3. Chapter 3: The Fountain

Hey guys! Sorry for taking too long- writer's block and other things. Still hope you're interested in Emerald Woods! Enough talking now, enjoy.

Chapter 3: The Fountain

"Alfred, Alfred! Wake up! Blooming heck, can you even hear me?"

Alfred opened his eyes, only to find pesky rays of light seep into his sight. He shut them immediately.

"Alfred! Go on and get out of bed!" Arthur's voice, thick with an English accent, commanded. "It's bright an' sunny outside today, and we'll be going outside to check the markets! Come on and shake a leg!"

Alfred groaned a bit, rubbing his eyes. "But I don't wanna go… can't I sleep instead?"

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Alfred, did you sleep enough last night?"

"Uh…" Alfred rolled his head away.

"Alfred."

"Uh… well, I was up running around, looking for you, and… I met the Forest Guardian." He looked up at Arthur.

Arthur stared at him, wide-eyed. Then he erupted into laughter. "So you've said you seen this young man, eh, Alfred? Boy, what a sight it musta been! Hahaahaha! Haha… hoo…" Arthur caught his breath.

"Yes, sir! Yes, I have!" Alfred said ardently. "I promise I did!"

"You clearly didn't have enough sleep… Well then, my young un', tell me how he must've looked like and how he was like and WHERE he came from! You _must_ remember that, right?" Arthur asked, helping Alfred out of bed, and then proceeding to put Alfred's buckled-up shoes on Alfred's feet.

Alfred had a blank, surprised look on his face as a reply. "Uh… yeah, I think. He was about this tall, a bit taller than me…" he put his hands to about the size of himself. "And he hopped a lot, like you said. He wore lots of stuff, like a hat, holey shoes and socks, and was really brown." Arthur laughed in reply.

"Oh, and… he was sorta like you. I liked him a lot. He was really friendly."

Arthur looked at Alfred, a bit dumbfounded. _Really?_ Arthur thought. Even though Alfred seemed to be nice to him, Arthur caught the sense that Alfred didn't really like him as he seemed to have been… Then to say something so sweet to him, it was so surprising. A bit scary, somewhat. But Arthur felt loved, more than he ever did before. This little boy, a sweet child, being that truthful to a pirate-like barbarian as Arthur was… It had almost moved Arthur to tears.

"Uh… Mr. Arthur, sir? Are you alright? It must be real early for you to get up if you're dazed… Mr. Arthur?"

Arthur shook his thoughts away from what had just happened. "Uh, yes, Alfred, I'm quite alright. How about you and I go? I wouldn't want it to get TOO late to go outside, being the ball of energy as you are. Come on now, get up. It will take a bit for you to get ready, so being up early is for the best. Come on, get up now." He held out his hand to help Alfred get up.

Alfred sleepily, but happily, accepted his hand.

**. . .**

"Come on now, Alfred, keep up with me and stay focused now! The streets of London are quite formidable if you put your guard down." Arthur called down the cobblestone road, replied by Alfred zooming down the street, his tattered leathery boots slapping against the stones. "Alfred, Alfred!" Arthur called. Alfred ran up to him. "Now now, Alfred, you know how I told you not to run? If you'd trip into a puddle, you'd be as dirty as those common folk! Now come over here so I can fix your hat."

Alfred, now walking silently, let Arthur adjust the angle of his hat.

"My, you've grown quite a bit, haven't you, m'boy? This hat seems a bit smaller." He jerked the hat to the center of Alfred's head.

"There we go. You look a might proper now. Come, come." He turned around. "The market's just around the corner, as it always has been." He tipped down his top hat and held out his hand for Alfred to take.

Alfred took Arthur's palm and down the road they went, him in his gradually-tightening clothes and Arthur in his bellowing black cloak and hat.

**. . .**

Arthur and Alfred meandered down the complex roads and ways through London, going through the many staircases and street pubs.

Soon after, the musty smells and the moldy plywood splinters were cast away with the colorful rays of fruit and exotic goods, some imported from the faraway waters of the enigmatic Asian country, China. The scents woven from the threads of the numerous elements sold knitted itself into an intricate yet enjoyable perfume, wafting gracefully through the air.

The rows of food and supplies had always taken Alfred's soul for a spin of exotic wonder, and it didn't fail at this that day. Alfred felt woozy, swaying a bit, still getting used to the explosion of colour, confusion, and series of noises. He grasped onto the closest thing that could balance him.

Unfortunately, it wasn't Arthur's hand, but someone else's.

He could tell right away.

The figure above him glared down, anger already igniting in his eyes. "Oi, ye l'il bloke! Go wander off some'ere else, ye 'ear me? *hic* an' take that mangy l'il girl with ye!" He pointed behind Alfred.

Alfred turned around.

A young girl cocked her head to the side, her hay-like, stringy hair dancing about from the sudden movement. She smiled widely. "Hey, Alfie, missed me, yeah?"

The girl wore a loose, overly-sized hood, but had it down to show poofy, hay-like hair. She had a couple of leaves in that wild mane of hers, and had a huge smile on. Her shoes were worn and seemed thin, barely appropriate for the sudden cold that morning.

And she had a mysterious orb latched to her hip.

Alfred blinked a bit. He whapped his palm to the side of his head. _Well, Duh!_ He thought to himself. _The Guardian said himself that the sparkly ball thing was a boring old light to other people. That's why she wasn't asked by the police about it yet… _

The girl beamed. She got (a little too) close to Alfred, and muttered, "M' boy, don't you worry, it's just me. Since that buttering butterfly had to interrupt our meet, I came here. And coz Mr. Arthur is out getting goosey green goodies for ya, I think I should talk to you for a sec. Okay?"

Alfred nodded.

"Alright then. Follow me!" The Guardian ran off as fast as a grasshopper could hop, weaving through the people, the caravans, and the vast amounts of left-to-rot food. Alfred kept the pace, and wasn't far behind.

After 10 minutes of running about the market, Alfred and the Guardian stopped in front of some clock shop, with numerous devices ticking the day away behind the glass. "Okay, m' boy, we need to confirm some things between us. Don't worry, Arthur can find you here quite easily. So, let's see… would you mind keeping this with you?"

The Guardian held out a maple leaf. "This leaf is, of course, belonging to the maple tree. Luckily, it won't rot or change colour. This is your pass to call for me. Okay? Just swirl it in the air and I'll come running."

Alfred nodded.

"Good. Also, one other thing—as I already stated, this leaf is special. It cannot change with the seasons or rot, so it will stay a prominent red. If you were to lose it, you could only see me on days when I come to visit, which, in due time, will decrease. Of course, you can ask for another, but it'll be awhile before you can. In fact, you could gradually lose the belief that I exist…" The Guardian looked at Alfred with eyes that were slowly, but surely, starting to tear up.

Alfred gasped. "But, I promise that won't happen! I'll believe in you for a long, long, long time! I promise!"

The Guardian smiled sadly. "You will mature in time regardless. Everyone has to grow up, even I. I'm considered an adult in my culture. Please understand. You must! It's just the way of life. Children that have—yes, there have been ones before you—that I took to the Woods are all adults now. They surely believe my visiting was a hoax. I've cried a bit over each of them, such good children. Of course, both the child and I move on. You must, like them." The Guardian placed the leaf in Alfred's hand. "That is all, my boy." He looked at the dirt. "Now stay here. I'll be with you until Arthur finds you."

**. . .**

Arthur continued to argue with the clerk again. "Come on, man, this pheasant's got to be at least a month old! Be reasonable, bud. Slash it down 20%, just for your pal?" Arthur dropped the shillings onto the counter, which clattered across the wood.

"No, I can't! I don't give a rat's hide for ye! A customer's a customer, eh? Besides which, I guarantee this fat bird's worth 20% MORE, I'll assure ye, 'pal'." The man said in a mocking voice, snickering.

"Look, here, you blooming git," Arthur stated, slamming his hands over the shillings before the clerk could get them. "I know your boss, so it's best for you not to mess with me. He always gives me a discount or two, I'll have you know. I could even get you _fired_." The worker's eyes widened. "Oh, look, your boss. Hey, Bryan! Your clerk here—"

The cashier was automatically swayed. "Uh, sir," he said quite quickly, "I-I'll give ye the pheasant, along wiv the discount of 50%, just please, please sir, I need a job. I've been kicked out of me home, I can barely scrape by. I've got no option wiv me except to throw meself into the Thames if I lose this! Please, sir, I'll even give it to ya for free if I need to! Please, just—"

Arthur laughed, quite malevolently. "No, no, you don't need to. 40%'s enough." He threw the coins onto the counter and swiped the dead bird away. "Have a nice day, sir," He said in a sarcastic tone, grabbing his coat and heading out the door.

Arthur slipped through the heavy wooden door, going down the few stair steps. He evaded a tainting puddle and headed for the fountain.

His boots crunched on the stony road down to the mountain of water, the crowds clearing up in front of him.

And only to find out that Alfred… was gone.

** . . .**

"Alright, Alfred," Arthur played their earlier conversation in his head. "Stay here at the fountain. After I'm done, I'll head back as soon as I can. Alright?" He paused. "I'll promise you."

"Yeah, okay, sir..." Alfred had said in a daze.

"Good. I'll be going now…" And Arthur left.

**. . .**

Arthur was sure that Alfred heard what he said.

Unless… oh, cripes.

Arthur had to recall that just now? _I am such a pathetic dolt! _Arthur thought. He already knew, but he still shoved that fact aside—Alfred always was lost in thought when they were at market. There would be no possible way Alfred heard him, being so enraptured by the sights and smells.. He could be anywhere…

_Oh God, I have to go searching now… this is bad. _Arthur threw on his cloak and ran. _Alfred, can't you just listen for once? _

_…Goodness. _


	4. Chapter 4: Labyrinth

Heya guys! There're a few things I'll say before the chapter (you can, of course, skip this and read the actual story). I've noticed a couple typos in my before-the-chapter paragraphs, and I am fully aware of them. I wish to keep this story as grammatically correct as possible! Forgive my past mistakes! Also, this is sort of a short chapter, but it's not as major as the previous. So, Sally Forth, and as I have said in past chapters, Enjoy!

Chapter 4: Labyrinth

Arthur bolted down an alleyway and spun around a corner, charging at full speed, his cloak flying behind. He emerged from the narrow street and called a carriage to avoid running through crowds, which could turn into quite a bit of a scene.

**. . .**

As the carriage bobbed up and down against the cobblestone road, Arthur planned his next move. _That little scamp could be anywhere, at any time. This makes it more difficult. Knowing how he acts, he would be near some shop that we go to quite a bit, or a shop down a familiar street… I'm sure somebody (maybe even something) led him there and is staying with him… Otherwise words would be flying down the street about some ill-mannered urchin quicker than I can say "Bob's your Uncle"._

The stagecoach finally slowed to a halt, and Arthur paid the fee. He slid down from the coach and continued on his journey, going through a desolate street. Even if the probability of finding Alfred here was low, it wouldn't sully his name by running around like a bloodhound hooked on a scent.

**. . .**

_Ugh… 5:53 P.M. Curse it all!_ Arthur thought. _It's been, at the very least, 45 minutes since I realized Alfred was lost! For all I know, some stranger could have kidnapped him… sigh… but knowing how reputations can fluctuate just by staring at a rowdy pauper boy (like Alfred…). Why must British culture be so… complicated these days…? Being a pirate was just so blooming dandy compared to all these rules…_

_Wait! I'm getting myself all off-topic… _

_I better find him soon._

And, with that thought, Arthur pushed himself to search even more, across the narrow streets, the alleyways, and any possible location Alfred would wander off to.

**. . .**

And so Arthur had traversed through the many roads of downtown London, checking candy stores, alleyways, pastry shops, antique toy stores, any place where a rebellious child would run about and cause mayhem.

With every twist and turn, Arthur could feel the soles of his feet burning with every step on the cobblestone streets he took. It was like the stones were hot coal, sparks of heat wavering off of them into the air. Arthur cringed.

At times he would stop and lean his back on a brick wall and check his pocket watch only to find out an even longer amount of time was lost. 6:27… 6:45… 7: 12… there was a near certain possibility he wouldn't retrieve the wild little boy in just a day.

But he knew… Alfred would be somewhere with a friend. It was just how the boy was.

But who could that friend be? Surely his shy little brother wouldn't run off all the way here to take him around the streets and cause havoc. Arthur would surely need to scold him later…

Arthur surged on. The first situation to focus on was to find Alfred. His cloak flew behind him as he continued his tiring search of the downtown city of London which was now a hopeless labyrinth.

_Alfred, you ill-mannered, frivolous, uncontrollable lad. You better be safe when I find you or you'll be getting Francis' cooking instead if mine! And that's a promise I'll be willing to keep!_


End file.
